Corn gatherer and husker



` 1616,28?,r Feb. 1,1927.. l U.' A. SHIREY CORN GATHERER AND HUSKER Filed May 14, 1924 4 Shfeecs-Sle-yl'I ll 1 l Feb 1927 u. A. SHIREY lCORN GATHERER AND HUSKER 1924 `4 sheets-sheet 2V Filed May l 14 @www f/my Feb. 1 1927. U Ai SHIREY CORN GATHERER `AND HUSKER `Panam! Feb. 1,' 1927.

UISULTEDy STATES "eA-TENT OFFICE.

- ULrssIs A. smnnY, or DES MOINES, IOWA, AssIGNon. or ONE-Herr v'ro vrcron BEBGLUND, or Das Momes, Iowa.

conN, Germana AND nUsxEn. l

Applioatien filed May 151,

a lcornvgatherer an husker of comparatively simple and durable construction wherebyit can be manufactured and marketed 'at a comparatively low cost.

Still a further object is toprovide a corn gatherer and husker adapted to be driven by an engine, which also serves as a source of power `for drivingl the gathering mecha.- nisms as well as the usking mechanism. Y

, Stilla further object is to provide a gatherer and husker having a carrier thereon v adapted to receive the cornA stalks'and capable of being tripped at various intervals for field.

Still afurther object is to provide corn gathering mechanisms adapted to gather thev corn of two rows and capable of beingvraised or lowered so 'as to' be rendered operative or inoperative as desired.

Still a further object is to provide c onveyor devices adapted 'to convey the stalks of corn butt end first to snapping rolls where the ears `of corn \will be snapped therefromf and then permitted to pass down on the snapping rolls to husking devices, where the I huskswill be torn from the ear of corn.'

Still a further objecti is to provide a con-v veyor member for receiving the stalks of corn after the ears have been taken therefrom for conveying them to the bundle car rier, where'theyY can be tripped 'for dropping them on to the field.-

Still a further object is to'provide a corn gatherer and husker capable of being backed up and when backed up, the corn ,gathei-Ting mechanism as well as the other mechanism of the machine will remain idle whileJ the traction `wheelsof the eorn harvesterwill operate.

With the and other objects in view,l my invention consistsn the construction, ar-. rangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, :1s-hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, `and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. in which;

Figure 1 is a top plan view of myY im- 1924. Serial No. 713,849.

proved 'corn gatherer and husker, parts being broken awayV to better illustrate the construction thereof.

Figure v2 is a side elevation showing the right hand side of the machine.

Figure 3 's a sectional view taken on linev lof Figure 1. v

the stalks of corn. 'Figure 5,'is a etall, sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Figure 3 sho the cross -coiseyorand the lower' ends of t e husking .1 0 Y A placing the stalks inwindrows over the Figure 6 is\a vertical, sectional view taken online6-6ofFigure2. 'I f Figure 1 is a detail, sectional-view taken ,on line 7 7 of Figure 2, showing the driv- Fi'gure 4 is a detail, sectionall view taken on line 1f-4 of Figure 2 showingfthe cutter Vblades for cutt' ing connections for the com gathering mechi on line 8-8 lof Figure -5, showing the driv- In the accompanying drawings, I'I have the reference character A. to indicate generally a frame. The frame A includes a pair of spaced, horizontal, up er bars,

10 and spaced horizontal lower ars 11. The upper and -lower bar's 10-and 11 are connected'together by uprights 12-- ends projecting out beyond the rear ends of the lower hars 1-1 and have connected thereto a pair of spaced v`u rights 13.

The lower ends of are connected together by across plece 14. The ends of the up er bars 10 are connected together by'cross races 15, which are in the form of anglel iron-bars.

The lower bars 11 extend'forwardly somewhat of the most forward 'upright 12,. as

The p se of ha .the lower bars` 11 project rwardly of e front right 12- will be hereinafter more vfully set ort The upper bars 10 are somewhat langer vthan the lower bars 11 and have their rear e spaced uprights 13 'clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. Y

I. A70v Figure 8 is a detail, sectionalview taken Mounted u on the cross pieces 15 and spaced inwar y from each of the upper bars are the motor supporting beams'. 16.

An engine 17 sets upon the supporting beams 16 and is -controlled by aV suitable clutch control pedal 18 and a gear shifter 19.

Mounted on the upper bar 10. and on .the left hand side of the-machine is the drivers seat 20.

'A steerin shaft 21 is mounted'on the side u of the mac ine and hasa steering wheel 22 'arran ed adjacent the drivers seat 26.

-lThe steering shaft 21 is operatively connected to a steering arm 23 in any suitable manner.` The lower end of the steering arm 23 in turn has connected thereto, the steering A rear axle \25 is connected to the crass piece 14 at the center thereor` by a rocker olt 26, whereby slight swinging movement of the axle 25 may be had relative to the rest of the machine. The axle 25 consistsv of a pair of spacedrods arranged with acenter truss rod connected thereto for forming the complete axle.

The spaced rods of the axle 25i have a supporting bearing 27 at the' center thereof,l

which is substantiallyin line withthe rocker bolt 26.' The axle 25 has steering wheel spindles 28 pivotally connected thereto for permit-ting movement of the spindles 28. The two spindles at the ends' of the axle 25 are connectedtogether by a tie rod 29.

On the outer ends of the spindles 28 are mounted the steerable wheels 30.

A front axle 31 is mounted in the forward wend of the frame A and has a pair of traction wheels 32 loosely mounted thereon. The

17 as will now be described.

wheel 39 having 5 5 traction Wheels 32 are connected to4 the engine tending therearoun "The sprocket chain '40 isconnected to a differential structure 41, which includes a central sprocket having l several small gears 42'mounted therein, in M mesh with ears'43and 44. The entire differenti l facture is mounted' on a trans verse a -v The ar 43'is fixed to the shaft-45 andthe gear -43'has fa'. sleeve 46 ixedthereto, which sleeve is looselymounted on the shaft 45.

i A small sprocket gear-47 is connewed to erases the sleeve' 46 and is driven from the gear 43.

On the end of the 'shaft 45 opposite the dierential structure 41is a small sprocket v'gear 48 which is the same size as the gear 47. The traction wheels 32 have fixed there-v is applied vito the wheels 32 from the en,

gine 17.

Corn gathering mechanismsare mounted on the forward end of the frame A on the lower bars 11, as will now be described.

The forward ends of the lower bars 11 are connected together by a cross brace 52.

Mounted in the-lower bars 11 is a transverse shaft 53 having a sprocket gear 54 on one of its ends. The shaft 53 is driven from the engine as will hereinafter be more fully set forth.

0n the free ,end of the shaft 53, opposite Y the gear 54, is a small sprocket 55 operatively connected to a sprocket 56 'by means of a chain 57. The sprocket' 56 is fixed to ashaft 58, which is journalled in the lower bars 11 of the frame Bearings 59 are loosely mounted vupon the shaft 58 and have plates 60 secured thereto. The plates 60 in turn have bearings 61 projecting therethrough, in' which are mounted shafts 62.l

A second plate 63 is positioned above the plates'60 and-connected thereto by spacer rods 64. v

` The u per ends of the shafts 62 extend through lb plate 63.

A sprocket wheel 6.6is xed to the upper end of the shafts 62 and has a chain 67 ex tending therearound.

earings 654I mounted on. the upper A' The chain 67 is operatively connected to a gear 68 for drivin a shaft 69. lThe shaft 69 is 'journalled in earings formed in the plates 60 and 63l and has a sprocket gear 0 resting upon the Aplate 60.

A. chain 71extends around the sprocket ar '70 and also, arounda sprocket gear 72 ed to the end thereof. Y

From the construction` of the parts just plate 60 near the forward lower described,'it will be seen; that the chain 71- i' is driventhrough Vthe medium of the shafts 4 I 62, the chain 67 and the shaft 69. y

The shafts 62, are in turn' driven frdin the shaft 58by'bevel gears 73 and 74. The bevel gears -73 are fixed to the shafts 62 and all ofthe bevel ,gears 74 are xed ,to the Ashaft58. I. rlhe upper ends of the shafts 62 have conisa 4nected thereto a-universal joint 75, with I which are connected' the short shafts j 6.

' around',iwhich travels around idlers 80. A

-as clearly shown in Figures' 1 and-2 of the "wishaft 85 and has a lin.; 88

the ratC.

asprocket gear 97.

.of the -gath'ererand huskef from the sprocket 97 on the shaft 95, as willmore fully appear.

Theshort shafts 76 extend throughinclined plates 77 andv have connected to their upper .'ends sprocket ears 7 8. I Each of the gears 7 8 have al sproc et chain 79 extending there- The chains 71 and 79 each have outwardly extending fingers 81 which are adapted to engage the stalk. of c orn -as the machine advances forwardly.

AFixed to the two inner sections' of the corn gathering mechanisms on the plates 63 drawings.

Each section ofthe corn gathering mecha nism has flexible elements or chains83a secured thereto, vwhich in turn are connected to crank arms 84 xed to a shaft 85. The

shaft 85 is mounted in suitable bearings 86' fixed to the forward cross braces -15. A

A crank arm 87 is also lconnected to the' pivotally connected to its upper free end. The link 88 extends rearwardly from tl'e crankarm 87,'and is pivotally connected to a control lever 89. The 'control lever 89 is pivoted to one ofthe supporting beams 16 Vand may be locked in any adjusted position by means of the pawl 90 coacting with the notched sector- 91. l

F rom'the construction of' the parts just described, it will be seen that all of the corn gathering mechanism may be elevated or raised soas to be rendered inoperative-by thedriver of the harvester from the driving seat of the machine.

The shaft has a gear 92 loosely mounted thereon and capable of being fixed thereto by coactingr'atchet members 93.

A coil spring'94 on the, shaft 35.1'etains lgear 92 in position'so that the coacting' 92 rotated with the rotation of the shaft 35, at least when it moves in one direction. A shaft 95 is journalled in the frame A .in suitable bearings and'has a lgear 96.A On g the shaft 95 adjacentl the gear 96, I mount The sprocket gear 97.has a chain 98 exe'l I I' tendingtherearound. The chain 98 also extends aroundthe gear 5 4`on the shaft 53; The chain98 drives-fall of the mechanism TheI chain '98' travels varound anidler sprocket a loosely mounted on the shaft 45'.

et members are engaged and the gear Mounted on the vshaft 53 are pairs of sprocket gears 99 adapted to have endless conveyors 100 operate therearound.

It may be mentioned that one set of end less conveyors 100 are used for each row of corn gathering, and that the conveyors are positioned with their forward ends adjacent each unit of the corn gathering mechanism.

A transverse shaft 101 is suitably mounted pairs of spaced sprocket gears 103-thereon. 'Ihe endless conveyors 100 have their upper ends travelling around the sprocket .gears- One of the out beyond the side' of the harvester and ends of the shaft'101 projects vin bearings 102 on thefra'me A and has has a sprocket gear 104 fixed thereto. The I sprocket ygear 104 is substantially in line with the sprocket gear 97 on the shaft 95.

The chain 98 extends around the sprocket gear 104 as clearly'shown in dotted lines 1n Figure 3 of the drawings.

It will, therefore, be seen that the endless conveyors are driven at each end by the shafts 53 and 101 'operating from the' chain 98.

Operating in conjunction with each of the endless conveyors 100 is a conveyor 105. Theconveyors y105 lhave* their rear ends travelling around sprockets 106 mounted on l a transverse shaft 107. f

I The shaft 107 is mounted in suitable bearings secured tothe frame A.

The forward ends of the conveyors 105 travel around sprockets 10S-mounted on a shaft 109. The shaft 109 is a floating shaft and capable of some up and down movement.

In order to permit up and down movement' offthe shaft 109, which will cause the forward ends of the endless conveyors A105 to also move up and down, I provide links 110 which are pivotally connected tothe shaft 109 and to the frame A at their other ends.

The shafts 109 `extend through'slots 111 formed in the walll112 of the harvester Y frame A.

The purpose'y of permitting up and downmovement of the forward ends of the conveyors- 105 will be more fully set forth.

'chain'98 through a sprocket gear 113 mounted on one end-of the'shaft'107 and shown -in d otted lines in Figure 3 of thev drawings.

Mounted on the cross brace 524 are a pair fof forwardly extending jsupports lljfj. which .have fixed thereto` a short .'cross prece 115. iThe crossbrace 52 and the cross piece 115 each have bearings 11 6 ,mounted thereon,n which is journalled a'crank' shaft 117.

A'block l118 is mounted on-thecrank'shaft 117 and is'slidably mounted.inv a rectangular guide r119. -1 Fixed tothe guide 119.,an d extending outwardly therefrom in oppositeV directions are the cutter bars 120, which Thel shaft 107 is; driven by the 'Sprocket I is necessary due to the fact that vthe bars 120 are postionedforwardly of the cross brace 52.

The cutter. blades 121 are Aso positioned that they come between the two parts ofeach of the corn gathering mechanisms and-v4 operate upon a -bifurcated plate 123, whichi forms one part of the cutter wherein the stalk of corn is sheared' by the cutter blade 121 andthe plate 123.

rlhe plate 123 is mounted upon the cross l brace 52 and'extends forwardlytherefrom.

The crank shaft 117 has a bevel gear 124 fixed thereon on one end in mesh With aA bevel gear 125 xed to lthe shaft 53, as clearly shown in thet drawings.

From the construction of the parts just described, it will be .seen that rotation of the shaft 53 will impart a reciprocating move? ment to the cutting bars 120. due to'the fact that the 'block 118 will slide uo and down.

` within the guide 119 'as the crank shaft -117 rotates.

'The top ofJthe harvester is provided with cover plates 126` which are positioned above the husking rolls and the elevating devices which serve as guards for preventing any possibility of injury to the driver of vthe harvester, and in Figure 1, I haye shown one of the cover plates 126 removed for vshowing the conveyors therebelow.

vThe shaft has fixed to it a pair of bevel gears 127 which Vmesh with bevel gears 128.

Mounted in suitable bearings on the cross braces 129 and 130 are'husking and snapping rolls 131. One of the, .husking rolls 131, on each set on each side of theharvester, hasm'the bevel gear 128 fixed thereto.

On the op-osite ends of the husking rolls'y 131 from t e gear 128 are mounted meshing p'nions 132. The huskin'g rolls 131 having the gears 128 thereontransmit rotation from the shaft 95 to al1 ofthe huskingrolls/ 131 through the pinions 132.

A cross conveyor 133 is operatively driven from on'e of the pinions 132. A cross conveyor shaft'134'is mounted in bearings 135 Ion one o1?V` the walls of the frameA, as clearly shown in Figure 8 ofthe drawings.

number 0E carrie;1 fingers or plates' 140.

The shaft' 134diasa pin-ion 136 fixed there to, which is in mesh with'tlie end pinion referred to by the reference numeral 132".

The shaft 134 hasa sprocket 13.7 thereon,

around which the cross conveyor 133l travels; Il

A shaft138 supports the sprocket 139 for the opposite end of the cross conveyor 133. The cross conveyor 133 'is providedwith a The-cross conveyor 133 moves in the dircc -1 tion indicated by the arrow 141 and is designed tocarry the ears of cornto the right l terasse A pair of central, spaced wall members 144l separate each of the sets .ofhusking and shredding rolls'131.

Inclined Jwalls 145are positioned below 75 the vhusking rolls `for -forniing a hopper or "chute wherein the stalks of corn will .be

forced by gravity andl move toward the cen- `ter of the machine where they will'be discharged ony to a conveyor 146. 'll'.he con-.30

veyor 146 is driven from the shaft 147 Whichlias a sprocket gear thereonwith va sprocket. chain 148 travelling 'around a' sprocket mounted onthe shaft 95. The. forward end of the conveying members 4146 is mounted 85 on a'shaft 149.

It will be notedthat the conveyor .146 is positioned substantially at the center of the; machine .and between the inclined walls' 145. The stalks of corn are carriedby the con- 9@ veyor 146 and 'are dischargedon to the corn stalk carrier and tripper 150. I The corn stalk carrier 15.0 is fixed lto a shaft 151 mounted in suitable .bearings 152.

A crank arm 153 on the shaft 151 has a 95. link 154 connected thereto, which is controlled'by a footcontrol pedal 155. When the pedal 155 is moved, it will cause thel carrier 150 to move downwardly for ypermitting the corn stalks thereon to be slid 1.0 therefrom.

The elevator 142' is driven from the shaft 101 by means of the chain 156, which drives the elevator Shaft 157. The shaft 101 has a' sprocket on one of its ends 157 which 105 drives the chain 156'. 1 'i An ordinary inclined chute 158 is mounted at the upper end of the elevator 142 wherein. the ears of-corn may be discharged into a wagon or truck. v 110 The stalks of corn are conveyed, butt end first on tO'thehuSkin rolls 131, and pass between'the-husking rolls 131`n'ear the upper ends thereof, 'and then drop on to the `eon veyor 146., 115

The ears 'or corn 4aresnapped from the stalks and then slide down rolls 13 '1' and come in contact withthe huskers 159 wherein the lnisks are separated from Athe ear of corn.4 -The Shredders. 4159 consist of en` 120 arged rings 160, which fit int-o grooves 161 formedinthe adjacent row 131; The enlarged portions 160 and thegrooves' 161 are alternately arranged on` the rolls 131. The ears of corn will then pass downwardly on 'to the cross conveyor' `132 and .will be prevented from sliding therefrom 'by the 'wall162 lat the conveyor 133. f

vices 164 are also mounted between the guides 165.

yThe cross/'conveyor 133 has a support 166, which is formed integral with the wall 162. The lower ends of the husking rolls 131 travel betwee the top and bottom of cross conveyors 1?, and the bottom 166 rests substantially upon the shafts of the husking rolls, as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 5 of the drawings.

The practical operation of my harvester in the harvesting of tw-o rows of corn is as follows. Q

AAs the machine advances-forwardly over the field, the gathering mechanismfor each row of corn receives the stalk between the fingers 81lon the upper and lower sets of' chains on eachgathering mechanism..

As the machine advances, the stalk of corn is finally received between the bifurcated plates 123 and then are cut by the reciproeating cutters 121. The stalk of corn` will remain in upright position due to the guide rod 82, and the fingers 81 on the opposite a set of. chains.

The butt end of the stalks offcorn for each row will rest upon one of the endless conveyors 100, and will travel upwardly on the' top'of the conveyor buttv end'irst. The stalk of corn will travel between the endless conveyors, 105 and the conveyor 100. I

.As the stalk of corn reachesithe upper end of the conveyor 100, it will pass against the under side and be directed, butt end first against lthe rolls 131. The stalk of corn will then pass through the rolls and, of course, the ear .of corn will be snapped therefrom. The forward end of the' endless conveyor 105 is, loosely mountedso as. to be capable of some up and down movementto accommodatethe corn stalks between the conveyors 100 a 105, without crushing them. I

-Theslots 111 and the links 1101 hereinbefore referred to,',p ermit the-up and down movement of the forwardf end of the conveyor 105-,as hereinbefore stated.

After the stalks of corn have passed betweenthe rolls 131, they willdrop en -to the side walls 145 and will, bygravity slide down on tothe conveyor "146. j The conveyor 146 :carries the corn stalks reiuiwardand Adischarges them on to the carrier 150.

The carrier 150 is controlled by the driver into bundles or Piles on the field vfrom -wind-v rows.

The ear of corn. with the husks thereon will pass downwardly on the inclined husking andsnapping rolls 131, and when it reaches the lower half of the rolls 131, the husks thereon will be engaged and torn =from the ear of corn itself. The husks will pass through the rolls'131 and travel with the stalks as herein stated. The ear of corn, when the husks are torn therefrom, will then slide down against the wall 162 and move to one side of the machine by the cross conveyor 133.

The wall 162 and the bottom 166 will retain the ears of corn in position where theyl will be picked up and carried over to the-side of the machine-by the conveyor 133. The conveyor 133 dischargesv the ears of corn into an elevating device 142-where the same is carried forwardly, dumped into a.

chute 158` from wher'e the earsof corn may lie-dropped mto a wagon box or the like.

over', the field without gathering any corn,

When itis desired to move the machine then the corn gathering mechanisms on the forward end of the-machlne may be raisedupwardly by the operator upon the pulling of the lever 89 rearwardly.

The machine is steered over the field from the hack wheels thereof.

` Whenever' it is 'desired to reverse the direction of the machine, then the coacting clutch member 93 on the shaft 35 will operate for disengaging the driving mechanlsms for the c onveyors and the snapping rolls due to the fact that the moving parts of the machines are operated from the drive shaft 35. l; l I

@From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a corn gatherer and husker capable of gathering the corn from two rows' and that the stalks of corn are' cut, and

then the ears of corn removed therefrom and ffinally the stalks again dropped on the field 1n piles at various intervals.l

Some changes may be madain the con-` .struction and arrangement of the various v parts of my invention, without departing from Ythe real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it islmy intention to cover by -my clanns,` any modified 'forms yof structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may I claim asmy invention: 1. In a'corn gathering and-husking mabe reasonably included withinjtheir "scgpc.-

chine, a wheel mounted frame, driving means i on saldframe,Y corn gathering mechanism Y I v I 1 monited on the forward endA of said Ina-v chine, a cutter blade for said gathering iiieclia.nisni, vmeans foriniparting a reciprocating movement to said cutter blade, conveying devices positioned adjacent said gatlierinff mechanism for carryinJg cut stalks ot' coi-n tliereon, butt end iirst, to rolls which are positioned beneath the said conveyor and substantially parallel thereto which have a snapping portion adjacent the end of said conveyor for receiving the stalks therefrom and a liusking portion beneathsaid conveyor, a conveyor device adapted to receive the stalks from the snapping portion of said). rolls, a carrier mounted on said machine for receiving the stalks discharged from said last conveyor device, means for tripping said carrier for discharging the stalks therefrom and a cross conveyor at the husking endof the rolls for receiving thee-ars of corn and carrying them to one side of the machine.

2. ln a corn gathering anlvhusking ma? chine, a Wheel mounted frame, driving means on said frame, corn gathering mecha- -nismsmounted on the forward end of said machine, means for .cuttingstalks of corn gathered by said gathering mechanisms, conveying devices positioned adjacent said gathering mechanisms for carrying cut stalks sitioned adj accntsai-d gathering mechanisms iiaaea Y of' corn thereon, lbutt end 51st, a second' conveying device loosely positioned upon said first conveyor device whereby the stalks of corn are permitted to pass therethrough,

rolls operatively driven from said tiretA means and positioned at the end of said first conveyor for receiving the stalks of corn, snapping? portions for said rolls and huskingportions for said rolls 'extending under said conveyors, and a cross conveyor at the husking end of said rolls. for receiving the ,ears of corn and carrying them to one side of the machine and a corn elevator adapted to receive the corn discharged from said cross conveyor.,

3. In a corn gathering and husking inachine, a Wheel .mounted frame, driving means on said frame, corn gatheringxandv cutting mechanism mounted on the' "fori Ward end thereof, conyeying devices po- ULYssis A. einem. l 

